Among the mosques the notable ones are Jama Masjid, Taj-ul-masjid and Moti Masjid. Moti Masjid was built by Sikander Jahan Begum and the Taj-ul-masjid which is the largest mosque in India was started by Shah Jahan Begum. It remained incomplete during her reign and was finished by the Government in 1971. The capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal presents a versatile profile, combining a picturesque silhouette of the city, with its historical monuments, mosques and temples and palaces along with the historicity, scenic grandeur and modern planning. There are a number of tourist attractions in Bhopal that fails to tire the enthusiastic traveler, visiting this old extraordinary city. Bhopal is divided significantly into the old city and the new city. While the old city still bears the aristocratic impression from the ancient times, the new city too do not fail to impress the visitors with its tourist places such as beautiful luxuriant parks, broad roads and avenues and modern buildings.
Sanchi is well known to all of us as a place associated with Buddhism. It may sound rather surprising but apart from the Buddhist Viharas, Chaityas and Stupas, there is Gupta Temple in Sanchi that heralds the beginning of Temple architecture in India. Sanchi thus reflects the religious and architectural heritage of India. There are three layers in the Sanchi hill also referred to as shelves. They are the crowning shelf, intermediate shelf and lower shelf. The Gupta Temple adorns the intermediate layer. Make sure to visit this Gupta temple No.17 which has stood the test of time.
The Gupta Temple in Sanchi dates back to the 5th century. The Gupta Age has earned for itself the prestigious epithet of Golden Age. The remarkable progress that India made during the reign of the Gupta is manifest in every field. The architectural field is no exceptional. They are credited with ushering in a new era in the field of Temple Architecture in India. The Gupta Temple No.17 is emblematic of the resurgence of structural activity in Sanchi. It has made a prominent place for itself in history because it marks the genesis of Temple Architecture in India.
Sir John Marshall was highly impressed by the Gupta Temple, Sanchi and deemed it as one of the most logically designed structures in Indian Architecture. It incarnated all the precepts that were considered important in the construction of an Indian temple. This elegant temple has a simple flat roofed chamber and a pillared porch at the entrance. Its simplicity is striking and there is a lot of restraint in its embellishment.
Sanchi is well connected to several main centers of Madhya Pradesh through roadways. Buses are a common means of transportation. The nearest airport is at Bhopal from here you can take a bus or hire a car to reach Sanchi. Railways also connect these two places. For those who are interested in traveling by railways, the railway station at Vidisha is a better option than the railway station at Sanchi because many important trains halt here. Vidisha and Sanchi are separated by a distance of 10 kms. So you can easily take a bus or an auto to reach Sanchi once you have arrived at Vidisha from any part of the country.